Web winding apparatus



Aug. 8, 1961 E. D. NYSTRAND 2,995,314

WEB WINDING APPARATUS Filed March 27, 1958' 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 //VVE/VTOR-' ZMWZW gy dwwmm, 774% M ATTORNEYS.

1961 E. D. NYSTRAND 2,995,314

WEB WINDING APPARATUS Filed March 27, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 8, 1961 E. D. NYSTRAND WEB WINDING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 2'7, 1958 INVENTOR .3 MM W W. ban mm A l \b 1V1 L\\ 3 ///////4 1 x MM NM, MN NM. NW N A Y mk -I I I I m s s Q5 Q Afro/Wars Aug. 8, 1961 E. D. NYSTRAND 2,995,314

WEB WINDING APPARATUS Filed March 2?, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 N l E N TOR ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 2,995,314 WEB WINDING APPARATUS Ernst Daniel Nystrand, Green Bay, Wis., assignor to Paper Converting Machine Co.,,Inc., Green Bay, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Mar. 27, 1958, Ser. No. 724,358 14 Claims. (Cl. 242-64) This invention relates to a web winding apparatus and, more particularly, to a rewinder in which a web such as paper is rewound from a large roll into a number of smaller rolls.

The invention described herein can be used with a multiple stage winder of the character described in Kwitek and Nystrand Patent No. 2,769,600, and reference is hereby made to that patent.

Multiple stage rewinders of the character described in the above mentioned patent and with which this invention has to do, are used in large numbers in the paperproducing industry. Paper coming from a paper-making machine is most conveniently stored in large rolls, sometimes five feet in diameter or more. Before the paper can be marketed to the ultimate consumer, as would particularly be the case in toilet tissue, toweling, etc., it is necessary to provide much smaller rolls. To make the unrolling and rerolling as economical as possible, high speed rewinders have been developed. These machines take the paper as it is unwound at a constant rate of speed and slit into narrower widths and rewind the narrower widths continuously on small paperboard cores. When it is considered that the paper is traveling at speeds often well in excess of 1000 feet per minute, it will be appreciated that a large number of problems arise in rewinding.

Prominent among the many problems present is that of regulating the rotational speed of the rewinder element or mandrel on which the paper is to be rewound. In the case of toilet tissue, for example, a constant linear speed must be maintained throughout the rewinding despite the fact that the roll increases in diameter from 1 /2 inches to 4 inches. Thus, there must be a continuous and gradual decrease in angular speed of the mandrel.

Heretofore, the speed reduction during rewinding has been generally provided through a friction drive which is sensitive to the tension in the web being rewound. Such an arrangement necessarily results in hunting and cycling of the mandrel speed about the proper speed needed for a constant linear web speed. Such hunting and cycling is tolerable, though not desirable, so long as the tension introduced thereby is at a value less than the tensile strength of the web. However, it is well known that the tensile strength of many webs, particularly tissue, is very small, so that it is not unusual in a rewinding operation to have many web breaks. Such breaks frequently occur shortly after the beginning of a particular rewinding operation where the stresses due to inertia and break-away torque are simultaneously impressed on the web. Ordinarily, these stresses are not troublesome, since each is below the tensile strength of the web. However, the slight extensibility of the web at the initiation of a rewinding operation permits the web-winding mandrel to exceed the proper speed and develop an inertia which cannot be resisted by the web with its very low tensile strength.

All of this could be avoided if the mandrel on which a web is rewound could be driven independently of the tension in the web, and the provision of such an apparatus is a principal object of this invention.

Another object of this invention is to provide a webwinding apparatus embodying a novel drive for a mandrel thereof, wherein the mandrel is driven from a variable speed drive and the rate of change in speed of the variable ice speed drive is mechanically controlled. Still another object is to provide a web winding apparatus having an even numbered plurality of web winding mandrels and in which two adjacent mandrels are driven by variable speed means independent of Web tension, the mandrel on which the web is being wound being gradually reduced in speed, while the adjacent mandrel is being gradually brought up in speed to engage in subsequent rewinding.

Yet another object is to provide a web winding apparatus having a novel variable speed drive including a conical element in contact with an axially-movable belt. A further object is to provide a web winding apparatus of the character described in the objective immediately preceding, in which mechanical means in the nature of a cam assembly is employed to position the belt in a continuous, predetermined fashion. A still further object is to provide a variable speed drive for a web winding apparatus in which the initial rotational speed of the web winding mandrel is normally fixed but the speed at the end of a given rewinding operation is readily adjustable.

Other objects and advantages, both general and specific, may be seen as this specification proceeds.

This invention will be explained, in an illustrative embodiment, in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a winder which is equipped with a variable speed drive embodying teachings of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the portion of the drive shown in the lower right-hand portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of one of the mandrels with which the rewinder is equipped; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing a different mandrel arrangement.

In the illustration given, a web winding apparatus (commonly referred to as a rewinder) is designated generally by the numeral 10. Rewinder 10 includes a frame 11 on which is rotatably carried a multiple mandrel turret generally designated by the numeral 12. The frame 11 also provides a rotatable mounting for bedroll 13, over which a web 14 travels on its way to being wound on mandrels 15.

In the illustration given, the turret 12 is provided with six web winding mandrels 15. One web winding mandrel, designated by the numeral 15a, is shown in a web winding station. The mandrel designated 15b is shown in a roll-removing station; that designated in a corereceiving station; that designated 15d in a core-cutting station; that designated 15e in a glue-application station; and that designated 15 in a station at which the mandrel has beenbrought up to the proper rotational speed at which the web winding operation on that particular mandrel is ready to begin. The turret 12 as illustrated is equipped with six mandrels, and such is considered an optimum number. However, a greater or lesser number may be satisfactorily employed in the practice of this invention, provided, however, that an even number are employed.

To initiate a rewinding on a particular mandrel, for example, mandrel 15) in the illustration given, the turret 12 is rotated counterclockwise and mandrel 15f is contacted with bedroll 13 which feeds the leading edge portions of the web against the core with which mandrel 15f is equipped. During the course of winding the web on a given mandrel, the turret is rotated further so as to position the mandrel at the end of a particular winding operation in the position occupied by mandrel 15a. For this purpose, it is necessary that the turret structure be swingably mounted in order to permit a mandrel to pass the bedroll 13. An intermediate position of a mandrel between the positions designated 15f and 15a is designated by the numeral 16. All of the foregoing is well established in the paper-producing art, and, in particular, is set forth in the above-identified Patent No. 2,769,600. A full explanation of the sequence of op erations as the turret is indexed can be found therein.

Each mandrel 15 is equipped with a pair of pulleys or sheaves l7 and 18, as can be best seen in FIGS. and 6. Sheaves 17 and 18 are grooved for the receipt of belts such as V-belts, and are identically positionedlongitudinally of each mandrel. Of the two sheaves provided on each mandrel, one sheave, that designated 17, is fixed unrotatably to the mandrel as by a setscrew 19, while the other sheave, that designated 18, is journaled on mandrel for rotational movement therewith, as by bearings 20. In each adjacent mandrel, the character of the seating of the sheaves 17 and 18 thereon is reversed. For example, in mandrels 15a, 15c and 152, the rotatable sheave 18 is outboard, while in mandrels 15b, 15d and 15f, the fixed sheave 17 is outboard. Aswill be described hereinafter in greater detail, this arrangement permits two belts to contact the sheaves on two adjacent mandrels simultaneously. One belt has a decreasing speed characteristic and is employed for driving the mandrel during the web winding period from station 15f to 15a and until the mandrel at 15a has its rolls completely wound. The other belt, at the time the first-mentioned belt has a decreasing speed characteristic, has an increasing speed characteristic and is employed for bringing the mandrel immediately behind the web-winding mandrel up to the proper web-engaging speed, the mandrel brought up to speed being designated by the numeral 15] in FIG. 1. The travel of both belts can be seen in FIG. 1, in which the belts 21 are seen contacting the sheaves on mandrels 15a and 15f.

Each mandrel-driving belt 21, besides being entrained in the aligned sheaves 17 and 18 in adjacent mandrels, is entrained in a sheave 22 which is part of a variable speed drive designated generally by the numeral 23. A portion of this variable speed drive can be seen in FIG. 4, wherein two centrally-positioned sheaves are designated 22 and are employed for varying the speed of belts 21. In addition, a number of belt-tensioning sheaves or pulleys are provided and are designated by the numerals 24. 25 and26 in FIG. 1, each of the last-mentioned sheaves being suitably tensioned or counterbalanced in a manner well known in the art and suitably supported on frame 11.

Referring now to FIG. 4, each sheave 22 is secured to a shaft 27 journaled in bearings 28 and 29 mounted on frame 11. frusto-conical member 30 secured in nonrotative relation thereto by means of setscrew 31 and key 3111. The frustoconical members 30 are oppositely oriented. In the illustration given, the larger ends are adjacent and each frustoconical member 30 is of considerable length in contrast to its change in diameter. Frame 11 also rotatably carries shaft 32, which is suitably journaled in bearings 33 and 34, the shaft 32 being disposed parallel to the shaft 27 carrying the frustoconical member 30. Shaft 32 carries two frustoconical members 35 which are substantially identical to the frustoconical members 30 mounted on shafts 27, the frustoconical members 35 carried by shaft 32 being oppositely oriented to each other and to the frustoconical members 30 carried by shafts 27. The shaft 32 is equipped with an extension as at 32a journaled in frame 11 as at 36 and which carries a sheave 37 which is suitably powered through a belt 37:: from a sheave 37b mounted on drive shaft 37c of rewinder, all as seen in FIG. 1, drive shaft 37c being geared to bedroll 13 as at 370'.

Each shaft 27 is also equipped with a Riding over one frustoconical member 30 and its adjacent frustoconical member 35, is a belt 38, which conples the rotative motion of frustoconical member 35 induced by sheave 37 to frustoconical member 30. As can be seen in FIG. I, the belt 38 is also entrained over a sheave 39, two of which are provided, one for each belt 38, as can be seen in FIG. 3. The sheaves 39 serve a dual purpose in providing tension for the belts 38 through the action of springs 40 on levers 40a fixed on shafts 43, and, by being movable in a direction parallel to the axis of shafts 32 and 27, provide for changing the position of belts 38. For this purpose, the sheaves 39 are rotatably mounted on stub shafts 41 (best seen in FIG. 3), which in turn are secured within arms 42 slidably carried on splined shafts 43. Splined shafts 43 are rotatably mounted in bearings 43a on frame 11.

By moving sheaves 39, the position of belts 38 can be changed and thus the speed of frustoconical members 30 changed. For example, movement of one sheave 39 outwardly (i.e., away from the common end of oppositely-oriented members 30, the rotational speed of the member 30 associated with the pulley 39 so moved is increased. In FIG. 4, movement of the right-hand belt 38 to the right increases the speed of frustoconical member 30 and its associated pulley 22. Inward movement provides the reverse in speed change. This occurs in the left-hand portion of the system, since the two pulleys 39 are connected together by means of a cable and a spring system generally designated 44 and in which the numeral 45 refers to a coiled spring connecting arms 42, as can be best seen in FIG. 3. Thus, movement to right of the pulley 39 over which the right-hand belt 38 in FIG. 4 is entrained increases the rotational speed of the righthand frustoconical member 30, while movement to the right of the left-hand belt provides an opposite change in speed in its associated frustoconical member 30. As can be appreciated from what has gone before, the increase in speed of the right-hand frustoconical member 30 is employed to bring mandrel 15f up to web-engaging speed, while the decrease in speed of the other frustoconical member 30 is emplo'yed to decrease the speed of mandrel 15a during the course of a rewinding operation.

To achieve movement of each pulley 39 and thereby change the speed of the two mandrels 15a and 15f, speed variation control means are employed which operate through the cable and spring system designated 44 and which derives a signal from earns 46 and 47. Cams 46 and 47 are secured to a shaft 48 (best seen in FIG. 3), which is suitably journaled in frame 11 as at 49 and 50. Also secured to shaft 48 is a sprocket 51 which is suitably connected by intermediate chain 52a to a sprocket 52b on the main indexing shaft 52. The main indexing shaft 52 (seen only in FIG. 1 and at the extreme upper right-hand corner thereof) is employed in rewinders to provide timing signals for the indexing of turret 12. As in the Patent No. 2,769,600 mentioned above, this can be achieved through a Geneva arrangement (not shown). In any event, one rotation of shaft 52 produces, in the machine illustrated herein, a one-sixth rotation of turret 12, thus bringing another mandrel into the web winding position. It will be appreciated that the residence time of a mandrel in the fixed position in a given station does not extend for all the entire one-sixth rotation of shaft 52, but only for a fractional part thereof, it being necessary, for example, to have a mandrel remain in the station identified as the core-loading station and to which the numeral 156 is affixed for only so long as it is necessary to mount an elongated core thereon. The remainder of the cycle" of shaft 52 (corresponding to a o'ne-sixth revolution of turret 12) is employed for bringing the mandrels into a subsequent station, i.e., mandrel 15f being moved downwardly and into engagement with bedroll 13, while mandrel 15a is being moved away from bedroll 13 and ultimately into the station designated by the numeral b for removal of the wound roll.

The chain connecting main indexing shaft 52 and shaft 48 which carries sprocket 51 is so arranged as to provide a two-to-one speed reduction, so that cams 46 and 47 make only one-half a revolution for each complete revolution of the main indexing shaft 52. This provides for cam 46, for example, to reduce the speed of mandrel 15a during winding, and on the next cycle of main indexing shaft 52, for bringing the speed of belt to engage sheave on mandrel 15e up to the required value.

Pivotally mounted on frame 11 as at 53 (see FIG. 2) are cam follower arms 54 and 55, each of which is equipped with a cam follower roller designated respectively 54a and 55a. Cam follower arm 54 is shown in a position perpendicular to the ground, and in this position the portion of the cam in contact with the cam follower roller 54a is about to initiate the beginning of a winding of a new roll, i.e., the point of transfer. It is to be noted that the high point of the cam designated 46a has already passed in contact with cam follo'wer roller 54a, so that the point of transfer of web 14 to a new mandrel 15 occurs during the gradual decrease in speed of the mandrel that is just coming into the winding station. The movement of cam follower ro'ller 54a in following cam 46 is transmitted from cam follower arm 54 to the left-hand sheave 39 in 'FIG. 3 by means of cable 56. correspondingly, the motion of cam follower roller 55a derived from cam 47 is transmitted to the righthand sheave 39, as seen in FIG. 3, through cable 57. Each cable is suitably entrained in sheaves 58 in order to change the direction thereof, and the ends of cables 56 and 57 are secured to bolts 59 extending into sleeve portion 60 of the arms 42 which support the sheaves 39.

The ends of cables 56 and 57 which are secured to cam follower arms 54 and 55 are equipped with turnbuckles 56a and 57a, respectively, for initial positioning of sheaves 35. The upper end of each cam follower arm 54 and 55 is equipped with an elongated slot 54b and 55b which extend transversely therethrough. Each slot 54b and 55b carries a block designated 54c and 55c, respectively, which is positionable longitudinally of its associated slot by means of a control knob 54d and 55d which is threadedly received Within a threaded opening in the top of each cam follower arm 54 and 55. The ends of turnbuckles 56a and 57a not secured to the associated cables 56 and 57 are pinned to blocks 54c and 550, respectively.

Thus, by rotating control knobs 54d and 55a, the associated blocks 54c and 550 can be moved upwardly or downwardly in slots 54b and 55b, as the case may be, and thus change the angle between the cables 56 and 57 and the cam follower arms 54 and 55. For example, by moving control knob 54d upwardly and thus moving block 540 upwardly, the length of cam follo'wer arm 54 is effectively increased, the length of cable 56 remaining substantially constant, so that on movement of the cam follower arm in a counterclockwise direction, greater travel of the associated sheave 39 is alforded from approximately the same starting-point. The starting point corresponds to the transfer point of the web to the mandrel 15 just entering the web winding station designated 15 and at this point the rotational speed of the mandrel must always be the same for any given web velocity. However, it is desirable to be able to change the terminal speed, i.e., the speed of mandrel 15a at the end of a web winding operation. Where, for example, a higher caliper (i.e., thickness) sheet is being run, it is necessary to have a lower terminal speed than that employed on a normal caliper sheet in order to produce a roll of larger diameter. Conversely, with lower caliper sheets, the terminal speed must be higher, producing a roll of smaller diameter. Both of these requisites can be met in the foregoing apparatus merely by adjusting the blocks 54c and 550 upwardly for a heavier caliper sheet or downwardly for a lighter caliper sheet than was previously being run.

It is believed that a brief description of the apparatus just described will further aid in understanding the invention, therefore such a description follows.

Operation The apparatus is shown in a condition in which a new web winding operation is about to begin. In FIG. 1, it can be seen that very slight counterclockwise movement of turret 12 will bring mandrel 15f into contact with bedroll 13. At this instant, a knife transversely severs web 14 between mandrels 15 and 15a so that the glueequipped surface of the core on mandrel 15f picks up the leading edge of web 14 for winding. Mandrel 15f is being driven through its sheave 17 by belt 21, which is entrained over the sheave 39 shown in the left-hand portion of FIG. 3 and which derives a continuous signal from cam 46. Cam 46 has been contoured along the lower periphery thereof to provide the change in speed necessary to maintain a constant linear speed in mandrel 15f despite the enlargement of the diameter of the roll being wound thereon. In the illustration given, cam 46 rotates counterclockwise, as can be appreciated from the arrow shown in FIG. 2, and gradually permits cam follower arm 54 to pivot counterclockwise about its pivotal mounting at 53 on frame 11. This movement of cam follower arm 54 permits the left-hand sheave 39 in FIG. 3 to move toward the right and to a position which entrains a greater portion of belt 38 about the left-hand frustoconical element 30 in FIG. 4. Inasmuch as belt 38 is moving at a constant speed, the right-hand movement of the left-hand belt 38 in FIG. 4 reduces the speed of the left-hand frustoconical member 30 and thus t e speed of its associated pulley 22. The pulley 22 carries belt 21 which provides the drive for mandrel 15f through its sheave 17. The same belt that is driving sheave 17 of mandrel 15] is also entrained in sheave 18 of mandrel 15c, which has now advanced to the position previously occupied by mandrel 15 but does not affect the operation of mandrel 15c inasmuch as the sheave 18 thereof is rotatably mounted thereon. The movement to the right of the left-hand sheave 39 is brought about through the cooperation of spring 45 and cable 57 in cooperation with the movement of cable 56, since cable 57 is being drawn to the right in FIG. 2 under the influence of the clockwise movement of cam follower arm 55 as seen in FIG. 2. The movement of cable 57 moves the right-hand sheave 39 also toward the right in FIG. 3, which changes the position of its belt 38 to a position where more of belt 38 is wrapped about its associated frustoconical member 35 and less about frustoconical member 30. This means that the associated sheave 22 (the right-hand sheave in FIG 4) has an increasing speed characteristic. The belt 21 entrained over this sheave will be operating on sheave 18 of mandrel 15 and have no elfect thereon. However, as mandrel 15c moves into the position occupied by mandrel 15 the belt having the increasing speed characteristic will operate against the sheave 17 of the next adjacent mandrel so as to bring that mandrel up to the pro er web-engaging speed.

While, in the foregoing specification, a detailed description of an embodiment of the invention has been given for the purpose of explanation, it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that the details herein may be varied widely without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In web winding apparatus, a frame, an even numbered plurality of mandrels movably rotatably mounted on said frame, each of said mandrels being equipped at the same longitudinal positions with a pair of pulleys, one of said pair of pulleys being fixed to said mandrel and the other rotatable thereon, the positions of said one and said other pulleys being reversed in adjacent mandrels, and drive means simultaneously engageable with two adjacent mandrels, said drive means comprising a pair of belts entrained in the pulleys of said two adjacent mandrels, and a mechanical variable speed drive operative to provide one belt with an increasing speed characteristic while providing the other belt with a decreasing speed characteristic.

2. In web winding apparatus, a frame, a mandrel-supporting turret rotatably mounted on said frame operative to sequentially position each mandrel in a web winding station, an even number of mandrels rotatably carried by said turret, each of said mandrels carrying a pair of pulleys at aligned positions along the length thereof, one of each pair of pulleys being fixed with the other rotatable with respect to the associated mandrel, corresponding pulleys on alternate mandrels being fixed and the remaining corresponding pulleys being rotatable, a pair of endless belts entrained in the pulleys of two adjacent mandrels, a pair of variable speed drives for said belts, one of said drives increasing the speed of its associated belt while the other of said drives decreases the speed of its associated belt, and means for controlling said drives, said controlling means being operative to cause the fixed pulley on a mandrel positioned in a web winding station to be coupled to the belt having a decreasing speed characteristic.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, in which each of said variable speed drives includes a conical member rotatably mounted on said frame and having a driving pulley axially secured thereto in which the said associated belt is entrained, separate powered belt means for each of said members positionable along the length thereof and transmitting motion to the conical surface thereof, the conical member associated with one belt being oppositely oriented from the conical member associated with the other of said belts, the said separate, powered belt means being entrained over sheaves mounted on said frame for movement parallel to the axes of said conical members, the said sheaves being so interrelated that movement in one sheave is accompanied by corresponding movement in the other.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, in which each of said sheaves is coupled by cable means to a cam follower arm pivotally mounted on said frame, an separate, identical cams are associated with each arm, the cam associated with one arm being reversely oriented to the cam associated with the other arm.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, in which said frame is equipped with rotatably-mounted shaft means for indexing said turret, and in which said cams are disposed in parallel, coaxial relation on a cam shaft, means coupling said cam shaft to said shaft means, said cam shaft passing through one-half a revolution for each rotation of said shaft means, each rotation of said shaft means being productive of the positioning of adjacent mandrels in the said web winding station.

6. In web winding apparatus having a plurality of rotatably mounted mandrels, means for varying the angular velocity of a mandrel independently of the tension of a web being wound thereon yet maintaining a substantially constant linear speed in peripheral portions of the webwound mandrel comprising a frame equipped with a plurality of mandrels, shaft means rotatably carried by said frame and operative to index said mandrels, a mechanical variable speed drive for said mandrels, and means for controlling said variable speed drive, said controlling means comprising mechanical means responsive only to and powered by said shaft means.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which an even number of mandrels are provided, said drive being operative to bring a mandrel to web-engaging speed in one indexed position while an adjacent mandrel is being wound in another indexed position.

8. In web winding apparatus, a frame carrying an even-numbered plurality of mandrels, a variable speed drive for said mandrels adapted to drive said mandrels independently of the tension of a web being wound thereon, said drive comprising two pairs of cones mounted for rotation in said frame with the axes of the cones in each pair being disposed in parallel relation with the cones of each pair being oppositely oriented, belt means supported on each pair of cones, means on said frame for moving each of said belt means axially of said cones in a predetermined cyclic fashion, means on said frame for rotating one of each pair of cones, belt means coupling the other cone of each pair of cones sequentially with pairs of adjacent mandrels, each mandrel being equipped with a pair of pulleys for entrainment of said belts, one of said pulleys being rotatably mounted while the other pulley is fixed to said mandrel, the positions of said pulleys being reversed in adjacent mandrels.

9. The structure of claim 8 in which the said moving means comprises a sheave movably mounted on said frame for each of said belt means, cam means on said frame, and means connecting said sheaves with said cam means, said connecting means being adjustable to provide a variation in the terminal speed of the drive at the end of a winding cycle without affecting the initial speed at the beginning of a winding cycle.

10. The structure of claim 9 in which said connecting means for each sheave includes a pivotally-mounted cam follower arm having cable means connected thereto and secured to said sheave, the connection of said cable means being adjustable along the length of said arm, the angle between said cable means and said arm being about at the beginning of a winding cycle.

11. In web winding apparatus, a frame, a turret rotatably mounted on said frame, an even-numbered plurality of mandrels rotatably mounted on said turret, a bedroll rotatably mounted on said frame and carrying a web for sequential winding on said mandrel, a pair of mechanical variable speed drives on said frame, said drives being arranged that when one has an increasing speed characteristic, the other has a decreasing speed characteristic, means for alternately varying the speed characteristic of each drive, a first means for coupling the decreasing speed characteristic drive with both the mandrel winding said web from said bedroll and the mandrel next in sequence for winding said web from said bedroll, idler means interposed between said first coupling means and said next in sequence mandrel, whereby said first coupling means is effective to rotate only said winding mandrel, and second means for coupling the increasing speed characteristic drive with both the said winding mandrel and the said next in sequence mandrel, idler means interposed between said second coupling means and said winding mandrel whereby said second coupling means is effective to rotate only said next in sequence mandrel.

12. In web winding apparatus having a plurality of rotatably mounted mandrels, means for varying the angular velocity of a mandrel independently of the tension of a web being wound thereon yet maintaining a substantial ly constant linear speed in peripheral portions of the webwound mandrel, comprising a frame equipped with an even-numbered plurality of mandrels, shaft means rotat ably carried by said frame and operative to index said mandrels, a bedroll rotatably mounted on said frame and carrying a web for sequential winding on said mandrels, a pair of mechanical variable speed drives for said mandrels, means for controlling said variable speed drives responsive to said shaft means, belts connecting each of said drives with the same pair of adjacent mandrels, the means for controlling said drives being effective to rotate the mandrel next in sequence to the mandrel winding said web at a speed in excess of the web speed and just prior to the time the web is transferred to said next in sequence mandrel.

13. In web winding apparatus for cyclic winding of webs, a frame, an even numbered plurality of mandrels movably, rotatably mounted on said frame, each of said mandrels being equipped at the same longitudinal positions with a pair of pulleys, one of said pair of pulleys being fixed to said mandrel and the other rotatable thereon, the positions of said one and said other pulleys being reversed in adjacent mandrels, and drive means simultaneously engageable with two adjacent mandrels, said drive means comprising a pair of belts entrained in the pulleys of said two adjacent mandrels, and a mechanical variable speed drive operative to provide one belt with an increasing speed characteristic while providing the other belt with a decreasing speed characteristic, said drive being equipped with adjustable means for varying the terminal speed of the drive at the end of a given cycle of winding without affecting the initial speed of the drive at the beginning of a winding cycle.

14. In web winding apparatus for cyclic winding of webs and having a plurality of rotatably mounted mandrels, means for varying the angular velocity of a mandrel independently of the tension of a web being wound thereon yet maintaining a substantially constant linear speed in peripheral portions of the web-Wound mandrel, comprising a frame equipped with a plurality of mandrels, shaft means rotatably carried by said frame and operative to index said mandrels, a mechanical variable speed drive for said mandrels, and means for controlling said variable speed drive, said controlling means comprising mechanical means responsive only to and powered by said shaft means, said controlling means being equipped with adjustable means for varying the terminal speed of the drive at the end of a given cycle of winding without affecting the initial speed of said drive at the beginning of a winding cycle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 794,866 Klein July 18, 1905 2,346,903 Caflrey Apr. 18, 1944 2,586,832 Kohler Feb. 26, 1952 2,668,023 Whitson et a1. Feb. 2, 1954 2,718,362 Piperoux et al Sept. 20, 1955 2,735,257 Legard et a1. Feb. 21, 1956 

